Simon will be joining the reactor development community at next week's IMechE conference; to register please visit the event website.
Please briefly explain your role, involvement, and experience with the nuclear industry
Simon Franklin (SF): I am currently a Technical Director in Jacobs' Critical Mission Solutions business, Nuclear Power, focussed on new build and ANTs, working in consultancy for 10 years. I have worked for reactor vendors / requesting parties, fuel vendors, Licensees and Licensees to be HPC and NuGen, as well as being seconded in to support DESNZ as Director of Nuclear Research and Innovation in NIRO for the last 2 years. I have worked in nuclear for 33 years.
By the end of September 2024, Jacobs’ Critical Mission Solutions business is expected to become part of Amentum.
What is the top challenge facing your industry at present?
SF: The top challenge is the availability of resources to meet all of the UK ambitions across civil and defence.
How would you say your industry has evolved over the past five years?
SF: The Nuclear Innovation Programme, and delivery under the Net Zero Innovation Programme more broadly has been amazing. The design of SMRs and manufacturing modernisation foreseen is incredible. The clarity provided by the 2024 nuclear roadmap was a key step in providing confidence and direction. We await an update from the new Government.
What developments are going on in your industry that may have an impact on the development of future nuclear reactor design?
SF: The biggest potential impact is the development of advanced manufacturing methods and techniques, from modularisation to 3D printing. The level of modelling has improved certainty during design, but real validation rigs remain vital.
What will you be presenting at the ‘Advanced Nuclear Reactor Design’ event and how will this benefit participants?
SF: I will be hosting the SMR presentations and also an SMR round table considering how to accelerate delivery, looking to understand what the enablers and blockers are, particularly looking to surface what the key issues impacting IMECHE members could be.
Which other speakers, presentations or topics are you looking forward to hearing at the forthcoming seminar?
SF: I am particularly looking forward to the session considering high integrity components as I lived and breathed that world for HPC and I am keen to start the dialogue on how the key building blocks come together in ANT space. I am also looking forward to see where the discussions on hydrogen will get to.
Why is it important for engineers and industry to come together at this event and share best practice?
SF: The world of nuclear safety and nuclear regulation works on the building on relevant good practice, so these sorts of events are vital. There are a large number of potential reactor vendors who have a lot to learn from those that go before, and their potential to bring disruptive thinking and challenge is also vital.
This year's Advanced Nuclear Reactor Design conference will take place on 1-2 October 2024 in Manchester
The conference is a key forum for all technical innovators, manufacturers, designers, and government regulators involved to meet, discuss technical developments and share updates on the latest AMR and SMR projects in the UK and abroad.
Join the 2024 conference and examine how engineers are addressing key engineering challenges, including nuclear criticality safety, data analysis and fault detection, fuel development, and production routes.
For the full agenda and to register to join the discussions at this year's event, please visit the event website.